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Sorrow Like My Sorrow – Lamentations 1:12
Can we really understand the suffering of another person or they ours?
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What Is Biblical Literacy?
We complain about it, write about it, claim it’s important or even critical, design programs to create it, but what is it? I don’t mean that none of us know what we mean when we say “biblically literate” or “biblically illiterate,” but do we all mean the same thing? I don’t think we do, and…
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Fences: Mending or Rending
The following is a sermon I presented at the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Pensacola on September 11,2005 and originally posted here on September 13, 2005. I’m reposting it because when I went to look for it, I found that the original post had somehow been truncated, and also because there is a one word at a…
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Experiencing the (Baptism of the) Holy Spirit
This is a topic where I tend to make just about everyone uncomfortable. Long time readers may recall a previous discussion of speaking in tongues, and my own experience of it. Those who expect me to be intellectually oriented and rational are uncomfortable with mystical experiences, and many who are comfortable with the mystical experiences…
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With All the Faults and Failings
One of the things I find most interesting about the Bible is the way that its stories openly–one might even say brutally–cover the faults and failings of the main characters. Nobody manages to come off all that well in the story. Even Moses, author of the Torah, or perhaps receiver of it, is not presented…
Psalm 119:10 – Seeking and Finding
With my whole heart I have sought you.Don’t let me wander from your commands. The word here translated commands is mitsvot, which is often thought of as good deeds, but Jewish commentators use this primarily of the 613 commands in Torah. In this way, the mitsvot can be considered another way to refer to the…
The Tyrrany of Normal
I am not normal. To the vast majority of humanity, that is not significant. From friends, it tends to elicit one of two responses: I pause here to look up the word “loon” to be sure it was as I remember it, and to find and provide a picture of an actual loon. Further, I…
Psalm 119:9 – Talking about Purity
How shall a young man keep to a pure way of life?By keeping it in the bounds of your word! I have a feeling that some would question the way I translated that verse. It’s OK. Poetry is challenging. In this case I was aiming more for meaning that being faithful to the poetic form….
Psalm 119:1-8 – Wrapup
As I’ve meditated on these first eight verses of Psalm 119, I’ve opened up a number of topics. Let’s put them together, sort of! I hope you’re enjoying this journey as I am. Tomorrow morning, I’ll be posting the first verse in the second section. (Featured image generated by Jetpack AI.)
Psalm 119:8 – I’m Going to Do It; Help!
I will observe your statues.Don’t completely forsake me! Sometime we’re so busy looking for the really holy things and the absolutely correct commands in scripture that we fail to see the human element. But to miss that human element really misses much of the message of scripture. Scripture speaks in the way it developed and…
Psalm 119:7 – Praise with Integrity
I will praise you with an upright heartWhen I learn your righteous judgments. What does learning about God’s righteous (right) judgments have to do with praise? If we think of this Psalm as expressing joy over a list of rules, this might be a good question. If you haven’t yet, please read my earlier post…
Psalm 119:6 – Overcoming Shame
Then I won’t be ashamed,When I keep my eyes on all your commands. I didn’t get the poetry in my translation. It’s hard to get everything into it at once. This verse strikes at one of our most serious problems. Our identity. Our ability to live with ourselves. You’ve surely heard stories of people going…
Law and Laws in Scripture
In my current series on Psalm 119, I’m doing a daily meditation on each verse. These are, by design, short. At the same time, it’s difficult to cover certain nuances effectively in individual posts. One of these is the question of why I would write this particular series. I’ve already included my video on the…
Psalm 119:5 – Let’s Get Real
Oh that my ways were steady,Keeping your statutes. Any time we’re looking at a set of standards, it’s well to be realistic, especially with ourselves. As we go through this Psalm, we’ll be celebrating God’s law in many ways and places, but there are a number of instances where the author admits his limitations and…
Psalm 119:4 – Tough!!
About your precepts you commanded,“Keep them diligently!” Sometimes things are tough. You wonder what’s coming next. I’m meditating on these passages one at a time. I read the passage in the morning, and then I write these in the evening. During the day, I keep coming back to that verse. In deciding to do 176…
Psalm 119:3 – Not Malicious
They also don’t act with maliceIn God’s ways they walk. This verse could be translated in many ways, but the basic message doesn’t change. We’ve had too verses talking about blessed people and what it is that they do. This verse introduces an “and one more thing” moment. They also don’t act maliciously. The KJV,…
Psalm 119:2 – The Blessing of Seeking
Continuing with Psalm 119, which I began with Psalm 119:1 yesterday. There are some notes on this series there. Blessed are those who preserve [keep] his testimonies,who wholeheartedly seek him. In the translation I use “testimonies” as in the KJV, though there are a number of other possible translations. I’ll comment on these various words…
It’s Not a Success Story
Prologue I’ve been listening to Robert Alter’s translation of the Hebrew Bible as an audiobook. I’ll doubtless write something about this translation later. But right now I’m listening to Judges, and it’s caused me to think a bit about the broader story of the history of Israel and then of the church. Charismatic Leadership One…
Psalm 119:1 – Living According to God’s Law
Introductory Note I’ve been meditating on Psalm 119 recently after a conversation with an author regarding a forthcoming book reminded me of it. I’m going to write a few short devotionals. I’m not sure how many I’ll write, but reading this Psalm does make me think. For any devotional on Psalm 119, please remember that…
Revelation 12-13 and Divine Passives
I regard as a basic manual for true spiritual warfare. I believe that it is much better to hear the themes of spiritual conflict than it is to try to identify specific referents. Of course, finding referents contemporary to the author can help us understand the themes. So these approaches are not mutually exclusive. Previously,…
Bible Study as a Work
I reflect on my experience memorizing Psalm 119 in a Christian school, highlighting the importance of balancing scholarly and spiritual Bible study. I emphasize that reading the Bible shouldn’t be a duty to earn God’s favor, but a personal connection. I encourage diverse approaches to engaging with Scripture, tailored to individual preferences.
When I Consider Your Heavens
When I consider the heavens the work of your fingers the moon and stars which you established What is a man,that you even think of him? Yet you have crowned him with glory and honor. Psalm 8:3-4 (my translation) (Note: The theme image is generated by AI. I’m interested in how applicable the image is….
Christian Education Should Be Broad and Deep
Christian education programs in churches are often the least well-thought-out elements of church life. Thinking about discipleship provides some answers.
Why Am I Not Involved in Politics?
I clarify my stance on Christian involvement in politics, emphasizing that while individual engagement is important, I prioritize meaningful advocacy over quantity of political posts. I advocate for informed voting and respectful dialogue rather than promoting specific candidates or issues, urging others to participate thoughtfully in the democratic process.
The Moral Influence of Jesus’ Death
In my Sunday School class yesterday we discussed Mark 15. We’re reading this with Allan Bevere’s Keeping Up with Jesus: A Narrative Devotional Commentary on Mark. In the thought questions for chapter 15, Allan asks both why Jesus is silent at his trial as depicted in Mark, and what it means that Jesus died for…
My Interview on Theodicy
As a continuation of my series on Theodicy, Steve Kindle interviewed me using the same set of questions I’ve used with all the other participants. This was recorded a year ago, but I just finished the production and posted it yesterday. For more information on the series: Theodicy Interview Series.
Determinism Anyone?
In a practical sense, I have to agree on this. I’m not sure if that’s the reality behind everything.